Hasselback Sweet Potatoes

Sweet potatoes worked their way back into our regular rotation after the Foodie Baby started eating solid foods. They were cheap and easy to make – one large potato, baked and mashed, could literally feed her for a week. We typically prepare them as a side a couple of nights a week by baking until tender and slicing. A quick drizzle of a thyme vinaigrette and a few crumbles of goat cheese and they’re ready to go!

And then I saw Barefoot in London on the Food Network. Ina Garten made Hasselback Potatoes – whole potatoes sliced thinly (but not all the way through) and then roasted. They looked fantastic – I couldn’t wait to try it with sweet potatoes!

I Hasselback-ed our sweet potatoes and it’s now my favorite way to make them. The edges get crispy, the centers stay tender. As they bake, the potatoes fan out so they look just lovely. I picked the most white potato-shaped sweet potato that I could find but they were still a bit irregular so they didn’t get as fan-errific as a white potato would have – but all was forgiven after the first bite!

Hasselback Sweet Potatoes

I Hasselback-ed our sweet potatoes and it’s now my favorite way to make them. The edges get crispy, the centers stay tender. As they bake, the potatoes fan out so they look just lovely.

Ingredients

4 sweet potatoes

4 tsp olive oil

salt

black pepper

2-3 sprigs fresh thyme

2 Tbsp butter

Goat cheese, for serving

Thyme Vinaigrette

For Vinaigrette

Juice of 1 lemon

1/2 tsp mustard (I use creole, a spicy brown mustard)

1 Tbsp finely chopped shallot

leaves from 1-2 sprigs of thyme

3-4 Tbsp olive oil

Salt

Instructions

Hasselback Sweet Potatoes

Preheat oven to 425.

Wash and pat potatoes dry.

Rub each potato with a teaspoon of olive oil.

With a sharp knife, cut slits almost to the bottom (but not all the way through) of each potato.

Sprinkle with salt, pepper, and thyme leaves.

Cut butter into chunks and place on top of each potato.

Bake ~45 minutes, or until the center is tender. Crumble goat cheese over top and drizzle with Thyme Vinaigrette.

Thyme Vinaigrette

In a small bowl, whisk the lemon juice, mustard, shallot and thyme leaves together. Stream in the olive oil while whisking. Salt to taste. Divide among 4 hasselback sweet potatoes.